On the Lakes 129 



their sweeps and forming a second line about 40 

 yards back, some of them keeping their places and 

 some not doing so. By this arrangement his line 

 could not be doubled upon, there was not room to 

 anchor on his broadside out of reach of his carron- 

 ades, and the enemy was forced to attack him by 

 standing in bows on. 



The morning of September nth opened with a 

 light breeze from the northeast. Downie's fleet 

 weighed anchor at daylight, and came down the 

 lake with the wind nearly aft, the booms of the two 

 sloops swinging out to starboard. At half-past 

 seven, 21 the people in the ships could see their ad 

 versaries' upper sails across the narrow strip of land 

 ending in Cumberland Head, before the British 

 doubled the latter. Captain Downie hove to with 

 his four large vessels when he had fairly opened the 

 Bay, and waited for his galleys to overtake him. 

 Then his four vessels filled on the starboard tack 

 and headed for the American line, going abreast, the 

 Chubb to the north, heading well to windward of 

 the Eagle, for whose bows the Linnet was headed, 

 while the Confiance was to be laid athwart the hawse 



91 The letters of the two commanders conflict a little as to 

 time, both absolutely and relatively. Pring says the action 

 lasted two hours and three quarters; the American accounts, 

 two hours and twenty minutes. Pring says it began at 8.00; 

 Macdonough says a few minutes before nine, etc. I take the 

 mean time. 



